An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and wounded 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash driver Wilber Rafael Garces Perez during a Sunday traffic stop in Austin, Texas, sparking sharp protests, conflicting official accounts, and immediate controversy over federal enforcement tactics in progressive cities.
What began as a routine food delivery on a Sunday afternoon in Texas’ capital city rapidly escalated into a high-stakes federal confrontation. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national working as a dasher, found himself at the center of an immigration enforcement operation just before 1 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. 183 and Anderson Square in North Austin. The incident immediately drew more than 100 protesters to the scene, highlighting mounting tensions over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration surge into Democratic-leaning cities across the country.
Contradictory Accounts of the Traffic Stop and Shooting
Federal authorities and family representatives present sharply diverging narratives of how the confrontation unfolded. According to immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, who represents Perez’s family, ICE agents in an unmarked vehicle sideswiped the driver’s blue Toyota Corolla twice before pulling him over at approximately 12:45 p.m. Perez stated that officers did not activate flashing lights or signal him to stop until after the initial collision.
Perez recounted that an officer approached his vehicle, identified himself, and demanded immigration documents. When Perez asked why he was being stopped and requested permission to pull over so someone else could retrieve his car, the agent refused. Perez then attempted to execute a U-turn to park, at which point officers rammed his vehicle again and opened fire after the car came to a stop.
Bystander video footage reviewed by news outlets presents a slightly different sequence, showing an ICE agent circling to the back passenger side of the Toyota as the vehicle rolls forward slightly. Three gunshots ring out, and Perez is subsequently removed from the car bleeding from his upper back before being handcuffed. Witnesses at the scene reported hearing Perez state that he was shot because he did not immediately hit the brakes.
Hospital Transfer and Detention Controversy
Following the shooting, emergency services and law enforcement arrived at the scene. The Texas Department of Public Safety stated that its troopers were requested for a vehicle pursuit, and upon arrival, troopers immediately performed medical treatment on the driver alongside partner law enforcement officers. Perez was transported to hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the torso.
However, the transition from medical care to federal custody sparked immediate outcry from his legal team. Perez was moved to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall on Monday after the agency pressed for his quick release from the hospital, leaving a bullet still lodged near his spine.
Perez reported receiving no pain medication or proper treatment while hospitalized, stating he was forced to sleep on the floor before receiving a single pill from a nurse prior to his transfer. His wife, a legal resident, was initially blocked from visiting him and remained unaware of his location for a period following the shooting.
Legal Status and Immigration Background
The Department of Homeland Security defended the enforcement action by describing Perez as an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela who entered the country illegally under the Biden administration and held a final order of removal. Federal statements emphasized that he remains in federal custody pending removal.
His legal representatives strongly disputed that characterization. Lincoln-Goldfinch stated that Perez entered the United States lawfully in 2024 through the CBP One program, which permitted migrants to schedule asylum appointments with authorities before the program ended on President Donald Trump’s first day in office. Attorneys maintained that Perez held a valid work permit and was actively pursuing asylum claims.
According to his lawyers, a deportation order was issued by an immigration judge only after Perez missed a court hearing because the notice was mailed to a former address. Congressman Greg Casar, a Democrat representing Austin, noted that it is unclear if Perez was the target of an ICE operation and condemned the federal presence.
If ICE deports him, the key witness to their shooting disappears.
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, Democratic representative for Austin
Local Backlash and Demands for Independent Investigation
Local and state leaders voiced strong condemnation following the shooting. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed deep frustration over the federal operation, stating he was angry but unsurprised given current enforcement practices. The Travis County District Attorney’s office formally requested an independent investigation, insisting that local police and state authorities operate as co-equal partners alongside federal agencies.
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI announced that Homeland Security Investigations will lead the inquiry into the shooting. Meanwhile, local officials, legal advocates, and community members continue to demand full transparency as the federal investigation proceeds.